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February 02, 2011

Jobs in Glendale Created by WinCo

A popular discount grocery store chain is looking to create several new jobs in Glendale (Click here).

WinCo is planning to create many new grocery store jobs as the company expands its operations into Arizona. So far, the company has signed leases for store spaces in Mesa and Glendale, and may consider other local spots in the future.

"It's clear we're interested and we've looked and are looking," Michael Read, vice president of public and legal affairs for WinCo, told the East Valley Tribune. "But in terms of timing, potential sites, where - it's far too early to comment. In this economy, we've actually scaled back expansion plans."

Any new jobs would benefit the Glendale area's economy, which is continuing to recover from the economic recession. During December, the area's unemployment rate dropped to 8.4 percent, one full percentage point below the national average of 9.4 percent.

The Phoenix-Mesa-Glendale area employed about 1,741,700 workers during December, which is up from 1,738,600 workers during November and a 1.7 percent increase from last year, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

WinCo is an employee-owned grocery store chain with 78 operations in Washington, Idaho, Nevada, California, Oregon, and Utah. The company currently employs about 14,000 people and brings in yearly sales of almost $5 billion.

The company's larger-than-average stores focus on low prices by such measures as asking shoppers to bag their own groceries. That way of operating could result in tough competition for the many other grocery stores that operate throughout the valley.